The present invention relates to providing of image products and services. In particular to a product, method, and system of storing and retrieving of digital images.
In the typical photographic process, an individual exposes a roll of photographic film and forwards the film to a photofinishing lab whereby it is developed and hard copy prints are produced therefrom. The developed film and hard copy prints are then returned to the customer. Once having received the hard copy prints, it is often desirable to obtain additional prints for oneself or for sharing with others.
Typically this is done by giving the hard copy prints to another individual or by using the returned negative for obtaining additional prints. Using the negative is desirable in obtaining the best possible image as the original images were captured thereon. However, this requires significant amounts of work in that the customer must first bring the negative to a photofinishing store for ordering of additional prints and then take the time to complete the order form. Quite often if a long time has elapsed since the receipt of the film, the negatives are often misplaced or lost and the customer must then use the hard copy prints for obtaining of additional prints.
It has been disclosed in the prior art a system wherein images after they have been developed are scanned digitally for obtaining of a digital record of the images. The digital record of the images are forwarded on to a memory storage database whereby the images are stored and can be accessed by the customer or by authorized individuals. An example is the Kodak PhotoNet Online(trademark) System. While this system has been extremely useful, this requires an individual to be authorized to access to the images and locate the images. Typically, this requires the customer to forward to the third party, a Universal Resource Locator (URL) in the form of a hyperlink for locating only the account containing the images. Additionally, the authorization must be provided with the third party being able to access the database.
Thus, there is a need to provide a system whereby access to the digitally stored images can be easily accomplished while still maintaining secure access to only authorized individuals.
In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a hard copy print having a print side and a back side, said print side having an image thereon, location information is provided on the print which identifies the electronic location at which a digital record of the image that can be accessed electronically, the hard copy print includes authorization for the spending of a predetermined amount of money on goods and/or services with respect to the images.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for locating a digital record file of an image provided on a hard copy print comprising:
a digital storage device for storing of digital images with respect to at least one customer, the digital storage device capable of being accessed electronically and having associated therewith a universal resource locator;
a remote access device for accessing the digital storage device using the URL;
a hard copy print having printed thereon a URL which can be read by the remote access device and allowing automatic access to the digital record file of the customer; and
a printer for printing of the images provided on the image retaining element and a second printer device for printing information for identifying and allowing access to the digitally stored images at the storage device.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of locating a digitized image stored in an digital image storage device comprising the steps of:
attaching a unique identjifier to a copy print having the image thereon;
registering the unique identifier in a database which associates the location of the digital image in the digital image storage device, the unique identifier being associated with an electronic address for accessing the digital image at the digital image storage device; and
providing information on the hard copy print which contains information regarding the amount of money available for ordering goods and/or services relating to the stored image.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method retrieving an image provided on a hard copy print comprising the steps of:
providing a hard copy print having a unique identifier for identifying the location at which a digital image record file of the image stored.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for storing and retrieving of a digital image comprising the steps of:
obtaining a digital record of an image from an image retaining element;
creating a digital data file containing the digital image;
associating a customer with the digital file;
the digital file having an associated therewith a unique universal resource locator that can allow electronic access to the digital image;
providing a hard copy print of the image, the image having the URL for identifying access to the digital image, the URL being in the form of a machine readable code and also in a human readable form.